Bobbin stripper



June 11, 1963 w. HAYES, SR 3,092,839

BOBBIN STRIPPER Filed March 25. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. L ouIE 144 HA YES 8R ATTORNEY June 11, 1963 w, H sR 3,092,889

BOBBIN STRIPPER Filed March 23, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. LOUIE W HA YES, SR.

wxwpL A TTOlQ/VE) United States Patent 3,092,889 BOBBIN STRIPPER Louie W. Hayes, Sr., Pensacola, Fla, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Monsanto Chemical Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 17,162 7 Claims. (Cl. 28-19) This invention relates to bobbin strippers and more particularly to apparatus for automatically stripping waste yarn from bobbins.

In the manufacture of synthetic yarn and in other textile operations, a considerable amount of yarn is wound onto bobbins and for various reasons is never used, the bobbins generally being only partially filled. Before the bobbin can be used again this waste yarn must be removed. In past practice, the waste yarn has been removed manually, the operator running a sharp knife longitudinally along the bobbin to cut the yarn so that it will fall from the bobbin. This procedure has several disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that this method of stripping bobbins is extremely slow. F urthermore, the knife utilized for severing the yarn is likely to nick the surface of the bobbin, thereby causing the bobbin to damage the yarn wound thereon at a later date. With this problem in mind, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for stripping bobbins.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically and sequentially stripping yarn from a plurality of bobbins.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus having a first cutter for severing substantially all of the yarn on a bobbin and a second cutter for severing the yarn missed by the first cutter.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus having an indexing mechanism for sequentially moving a bobbin past a pair of stations where a first cutter and a second cutter sever the yarn on the bobbin.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bobbin stripper having a knifelike blade or cutter for making a rough cut through the yarn on the bobbin and also having a disclike cutter for making a finishing cut and severing the yarn missed by the knifelike cutter.

One embodiment of this invention contemplates a bobbin stripper having a bobbin carrying member which is indexed to sequentially advance each bobbin into a first and a second station. A knifelike blade or cutter mounted at the first station is moved longitudinally along the bobbin to make a rough cut in the yarn in such a manner that most of the yarn on the bobbin is severed along the path of travel of this blade. The bobbin is indexed and a disclike cutter positioned with its fiat side adjacent to the bobbin is moved longitudinally along the bobbin to sever the yarn missed by the first cutter, the disclike cutter being raised and lowered at the ends of its stroke to prevent damage to the bobbin.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing the cutters in retracted positions;

FIGURE 2 is a slightly enlarged perspective view showing bobbins in operating position just prior to operation of the cutters; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary isometric view showing the mechanism which indexes the bobbin-carrying member.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown a base 11 having secured thereto brackets 12 and 13 3,692,889 Patented June 11, 1963 ice which support a pair of spaced circular plates 16 and 17. A reel 18 for supporting and carrying bobbins 20 of a well-known type is secured to a shaft 21 journaled in the brackets 12 and 13. The reel 18 is provided with a plurality of notches 22 for receiving the bobbins 20 from a feed chute 26, the bobbins 20 having thereon waste yarn 27 which is to be removed. The notches 22 are of such a configuration that the bobbins 20 are picked up from the chute 26 and are deposited on an outlet chute 28 secured to the plates 16 and 17 and the base 11, the bobbins 2d dropping onto the chute 28 after the notches 22 holding the bobbin reach a predetermined position.

Indexing ofthe reel 18 is effected by an indexing wheel 30 (FIGURE 3) secured to the shaft 21 and a lever 31 pivotally mounted on the shaft 21 and operated by a fluid cylinder 32 of a well-known type. A pin 35 pivotally secures a pawl 36 to the lever 31, the pawl 36 being provided with a roller 37 which is adapted to engage projections 41 on the wheel 30 to move the wheel and the reel 18 when the cylinder 32 is actuated in one direction. The wheel 34 is provided with a plurality of holes 42 which are adapted to receive a spring-loaded shot pin 43 to normally prevent rotation of the wheel 30 and the reel 18. The shot pin is withdrawn from the wheel 30 by movement of a lever 47 pivotally secured to a plate 48 attached to the base 11.

A plurality of journals 55, 56, 57 and 58 (FIGURES l and 2) slidably support a pair of rods 62 and 63, the rear ends of the rods 62 and 63 being interconnected by a bracket 64 which is rigidly connected to the rods so that these rods slide through the journals 58 together. A hydraulic cylinder 68 secured to a plate 69 attached to the base 11 is provided with a piston rod 70 which is secured to the end of the rod 62 for reciprocating the rods 62 and 63 in the journals 5558. The rods 62 and 63 are provided for carrying the cutters which sever the yarn 27.

A block secured to the rod 62 carries a heavy knifelike blade or cutter 76 which is adapted to engage and sever most of the yarn 27 as the rod 62 is moved through the journals 55 and 56. The cutter or blade 76 does not contact the bobbin 24) but is carried parallel.

thereto. Thus this cutter misses the yarn which lies between the lowermost end of the cutter and the bobbin 20. The cut made by the cutter 76 may be referred to as a rough cut, this cut severing most of the yarn on the bobbin.

A housing 79 secured to the rod 63 slidably supports a spring-loaded shaft 89 to which is attached a disclike cutter 81 which is adapted to sever the yarn missed by the cutter 76. The shaft extends upward through the housing 79 and is attached to a yoke 82 having mounted at its upper end a roller 83. The roller 83 rides along the top of a rail 84 secured to brackets 85 and 86 which are attached to the journals 57 and 58, respectively. The upper surface of the rail 84 has a cam surface 91) which permits the cutter 81 to move downward into engagement with the bobbin 2% after the leading edge of the cutter 81 passes the end of the bobbin 2%. The cutter 81 is provided with a fiat lower face which rests on and slides along the bobbin 20, the edge of the cutter 81 severing the yarn. The cutter 81 is raised out of engagement with the bobbin 20 at each end of its stroke as the roller 83 leaves the straight surface 90 and rides up the synclinal surfaces at the ends of the surface 90. g

The automatic operation of the device of the present invention is effected by a plurality of limit switches which are closed by various elements of the device as these elements are reciprocated by the cylinder 68. As the 'cutters near the end of the cutting stroke, the bracket 64 engages and elevates a lever 91 of a switch 92 which is connected in a well-known manner to apply fluid from a source 95 to the cylinder 32 which pivots the lever 31 to index the reel 18 and move the bobbins a distance equal to the distance between the cutters 76 and 81. Just prior to the closing of the switch 92, a bolt 96 threaded through a bar 97 secured to the brackets 64 engages the lever 47 and pivots this lever to withdraw the shot pin 43 from the indexing wheel 3% so that the indexing may take place. Immediately after the switch 92 is closed, the bracket 64 engages and closes a switch 99 which controls the application of fluid from a source 169 to the cylinder 68 in such a manner that the rods 62 and 63 and the cutters 76 and 81 are withdrawn to the retracted positions shown in the drawings. The cutters 76 and 81 are withdrawn as the reel 13' is indexed, the cutters reaching their starting positions (as shown in the drawings) before the reel 18 is completely indexed.

When the cutters reach the position shown in the drawing, the bobbins having been indexed, the block 75 closes a switch 101 mounted on the journal 56 and connected in a well-known manner to apply fluid from the source, 1th} to the cylinder 68 to again advance the rods 62 and 63 and the cutters 76 and $1. In this manner, the cutters 76 and 81 are continuously reciprocated and the bobbins are indexed into position to have the yarn thereon severed in timed relationship with the reciprocation of the cutters.

In operation of the device, an operator manually loads bobbins 20 having waste yarn 27 thereon onto thefeed chute 26. The bobbins 20 are picked up by the notches 22 in the reel 18 as this reel is indexed in the manner described above. Each bobbin is halted in a position in alignment with the cutter 76 whereupon the cylinder 68 advances the rods 62 and 63 and the cutters 76 and 51, the cutter 76 making a rough cut through the yarn. As

adapted to separate said circular cutter from said bobb n as the circular cutter approaches the end of its stroke,

and means for operating the bobbin supporting means to index the bobbin from the blade to the circular cutter.

2. An apparatus for removing waste yarn from a bobbin, comprising a base, a reel rotatably mounted on the base and having a plurality of notches for receiving the ends of bobbins having waste yarn thereon, a pair of rods slidably mounted on the base, a blade carried by one of the rods along a first predetermined path spaced from and parallel to the bobbin for making a rough cut through the yarn on the bobbin, a circular cutter carried by the other rod along a second predetermined path for severing the yarn missed by the blade, carnming and guiding means connected to the circular cutter for moving said cutter away from the bobbin when the cutter approaches the end of its stroke, and means on the base for indexing the.

reel to sequentially position the bobbin adjacent to said predetermined paths.

3. An apparatus for removing waste yarn from a bobbin, comprising .a base, a pair of circular plates mounted on the base in spaced relationship, a shaft rotatably mounted on the circular plates and extending through the centers of said plates, a reel secured to the shaft between the circular plates and having therein a plurality of 7 cylinder connected to the lever and the base for actuating the cutters near the end of the cutting stroke, the bolt 96 engages and pivots the lever 47 to withdraw the shot pin 43 from the wheel 30 and immediately thereafter the bracket 64 raises the switch lever 91 which causes fiuid to be applied from the source 95 to the cylinder 32 to begin indexing the reel 18 to carry the bobbin which is now beneath the cutter 76 to a position beneath the cutter 81.

Immediately thereafter, the bracket 64 closes the switch 99 which causes the source 100 to apply fluid to the cylinder 68 in such a Way that the rods 62 and 63 and the cutters 76 and 81 are withdrawn before the reel indexing operation is completed.

When the cutters reach the position illustrated in the drawings, the block 75 closes the switch 101 to again actuate the cylinder 68 and again advance the cutters the reel 18 being now completely indexed to align the next bobbin with the cutter 76. As the cutter 81 advances, the roller 83 rides down onto the cam surface 96 thereby lowering the fiat lower surface of the cutter 81 into contact with the bobbin 20. Further movement of the cutter 81 severs the yarn missed by the cutter 76. In

this manner the device operates completely automatically.

It is to be understood that the embodiment disclosed herein is but one embodiment of the invention and that many other embodiments may be contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for removing waste yarn from a bobbin, comprising a base, movable means on the base for supporting the bobbin, a blade movably mounted on the base for cutting substantially all of the yarn on the bobbin, means on the base for moving the blade longitudinally along the bobbin, a circular cutter movably mounted on the base for cutting the yarn missed by the blade, said circular cutter being moved longitudinally along the bobbin by the blade moving means, guide means on the base for controlling the positioning of the circular cutter relative to the bobbin, said guide means being said lever, a pair of rods slidably mounted above the circular plates, .a bracket interconnecting the rods in such a manner that said rods are movable together, a fluid cylinder connected between the base and one o f the rods for moving said rods, a blade secured to one of the rods for movement along a first predetermined path, said blade being adapted to make a rough cut through the waste yarn longitudinally along the bobbin, a spring-loaded shaft slidab-ly mounted on the other rod for substantially.

vertical movement; a circular cutter carried by the lower end of the shaft and having a fiat lower surface for engaging the bobbin in such a manner that said cutter severs the yarn missed by the blade, a rail mounted above said other rod and having along the upper edge thereof a pair of synclinal surfaces intersected by a straight surface, a yoke secured to the upper end of said cutter carrying shaft, a roller attached to the yoke and adapted to roll along said upper edge of the rail, said synclinal surfaces and said straight surfaces being so positioned on the rail that the circular cutter is elevated from the I bobbin at the ends thereof, and a pair of chutes attached to the base for feeding bobbins to the reel and receiving bobbins therefrom.

4. An apparatus for removing yarn from a bobbin, comprising a base, means on the base for moving a bobbin along a path transverse to the axis of said bobbin, a first cutter mounted on the base for movementalong a first path parallel to the axis of the bobbin to engage and sever substantially all of the yarn on the bobbin, a second cutter mounted on the base for movement along a second path parallel to the axis of the bobbin for engaging and cutting yarn missed by the first cutter, camming means on the base for deflecting the second cutter out ofsaid second path and away from the bobbin at the end of the stroke of said second cutter, and means on thebase for moving the cutters.

5. An apparatus for removing yarn from a bobbin, comprising a base, means on the base for moving the bobbin along a predetermined path transverse to the of the bobbin, a first cutter mounted on the base for movement along a path normal to-said predetermined path for engaging and severing substantially all ofthe yarn on the bobbin, a second cutter mounted on the base for aoeasss movement along a second path normal to said predetermined pa-th for severing the yarn missed by the first cutter, means on the base for actuating the cutters, camming means on the base for deflecting the second cutter out of said second path and away from the bobbin at the end of the stroke of said second cutter, and means for operating the bobbin moving means to cause said moving means to halt the bobbin temporarily in said first path and then said second path.

6. An apparatus for removing yarn from a bobbin, comprising a base, means on the base for moving a bobbin along a predetermined path and for temporarily halting said bobbin at a first station and then a second station, a blade mounted on the base for movement along a path past the first station, said blade being carried parallel to and spaced from the bobbin for engaging and severing substantially all of the yarn on the bobbin, a circular second cutter mounted on the base for movement along a path past the second station, said second cutter having a fiat face adapted to engage the bobbin and slide therealong, means on the base for separating the second cutter from the bobbin when said second cutter is at the ends of the bobbin to prevent damage to the ends of said bobbin, and means on the base for actuating the cutters and the bobbin moving means in timed sequence.

7. An apparatus for removing a yarn from a bobbin, comprising a base, means on the base for moving the bobbin along an arcuate path, said path extending in a direction normal to the axis of the bobbin, said moving means temporarily stopping and holding the bobbin at first and second locations in said path, a first cutter mounted on the base at the first location for movement in a direction normal to said path and parallel to the axis of the bobbin, a second cutter mounted on the base at the second location for movement in a direction normal to said path and parallel to the axis of the bobbin, cammin-g means on the base for deflecting the second cutter away from the bobbin at the end of the stcoke of the said second cutter, and means on the base for moving the cutters.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,109,949 Walsh Sept. 8, 1914 2,303,048 Hudson Nov. 24, 1942 2,609,876 Bauer et a1. Sept. 9, 1952 2,613,425 Whitaker Oct. 14, 1952 

3. AN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING WASTE YARN FROM A BOBBIN, COMPRISING A BASE, A PAIR OF CIRCULAR PLATES MOUNTED ON THE BASE IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP, A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE CIRCULAR PLATES AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTERS OF SAID PLATES, A REEL SECURED TO THE SHAFT BETWEEN THE CIRCULAR PLATES AND HAVING THEREIN A PLURALITY OF NOTCHES FOR RECEIVING BOBBINS HAVING WASTE YARN THEREON, AN INDEXING WHEEL SECURED TO THE SHAFT AND HAVING THEREON A PLURALITY OF SPACED PROJECTIONS, A LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE SHAFT ADJACENT TO THE INDEXING WHEEL, A PAWL ATTACHED TO THE LEVER FOR ENGAGING SAID SPACED PROJECTIONS TO MOVE THE INDEXING WHEEL AND THE REEL, A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER CONNECTED TO THE LEVER AND THE BASE FOR ACTUATING SAID LEVER, A PAIR OF RODS SLIDABLY MOUNTED ABOVE THE CIRCULAR PLATES, A BRACKET INTERCONNECTING THE RODS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT SAID RODS ARE MOVABLE TOGETHER, A FLUID CYLINDER CONNECTED BETWEEN THE BASE AND ONE OF THE RODS FOR MOVING SAID RODS, A BLADE SECURED TO ONE OF THE RODS FOR MOVEMENT ALONG A FIRST PREDETERMINED PATH, SAID BLADE BEING ADAPTED TO MAKE A ROUGH CUT THROUGH THE WASTE YARN LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE BOBBIN, A SPRING-LOADED SHAFT SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE OTHER ROD FOR SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL MOVEMENT, A CIRCULAR CUTTER CARRIED BY THE LOWER 